New ER coach stressing toughness

Saturday

Nov 18, 2017 at 10:29 PMNov 19, 2017 at 12:21 AM

Megan Crotty

RAMSEUR — The Eastern Randolph High School varsity boys basketball team is going to look a little different this year. And it has nothing to do with new uniforms.No, the Wildcats head out onto the court with a new coach in Michael Malpass and some new personnel.“They’re buying in to the overall philosophy,” said Malpass, who is inheriting a squad that went 12-15 last season. “Our whole deal is the implementation of toughness — it bleeds into everything they do in life. They’re willing to work and are smart. They’re picking things up pretty quickly.”The great news for ER fans is not only do the Wildcats have nine seniors, but it is a deep squad with 14 players.“We have two types of teams,” said Malpass, who comes to Ramseur after being a full-time pastor at New Hope Baptist Church of Laurinburg and the head basketball coach at Scotland County High School for two seasons. “We can go fast with a small team that can create havoc — the White Team. The Green Team uses more of a zone principal with some trapping.“We’re deep enough to play both styles. There will be some kids that will play on both teams.”The Wildcats don’t have a true post player this season — Malpass calls them “a team of 3s with two point guards.” Those two are senior Andre King and sophomore Landon Collins, who will be key early in the season.Still, the new coach sees an advantage in having players who are 6-foot-2 or 6-3 rather than a true big.“There’s an advantage to being 6-2 or 6-3 when you rebound,” Malpass said. “If you check someone out legally at 6-1, the idea of rebounding is to be lower than your man. Most see being short as a disadvantage, but it’s how you take those disadvantages and turn them into positives. We’re going to do that in all phases.“When you rebound, if you’re lower than your man, to the ref it’ll be more obvious if someone is over your back. We’ll be a great rebounding team because we’re undersized.”The team also has been using that philosophy in its press break, teaching the players to do it without dribbling, but pivoting instead.“If you pivot, it creates as much space as the bounce,” Malpass said.ER also has been working on getting in shape quickly and getting stronger.“In all fall sports, you have plenty of time to prepare,” Malpass said. “With basketball, you have to be really efficient with time. We do session running, diving on the floor instead of touching lines and taking charges while running. They’ve been running with a lot of elements — with 10-pound weights over their heads to work keeping the ball high and with a partner on their back after they squat 10 times.“We demolish them early, so I know which ones are competitive and which ones are soft. I know the makeup of the team already because I’ve put them to the wall and seen how they react.”Malpass is keeping things simple so far heading into Monday’s opener against Union Pines.“Right now, we’re as fundamentally sound as anyone we’re going to play,” he said. “It’s a matter of how simple can you make it and can the kids do what you ask them to do — if you’ve coached them correctly.”